PUBG used to smuggle heroin, Delhi Police busts cross-border drug cartel

The Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) of Delhi Police's Crime Branch has busted a major cross-border drug cartel in a high-stakes operation code-named Operation Clean Sweep. The cartel had networks spanning Afghanistan, Pakistan, Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, Mewat, and the entire Delhi-NCR region.

The operation led to the arrest of ten individuals involved in smuggling and trafficking heroin into India. One of the most startling revelations came from an accused who admitted to using the popular online game PUBG to communicate with his Afghan supplier, showcasing the evolving tactics of criminal networks in the digital age.

The police seized 1667 grams of superfine Afghan-origin heroin and 130 grams of a suspected chemical, believed to be used in processing narcotics. The crackdown also unearthed key digital devices and ₹1.65 lakh in cash, along with the identification of five properties worth over ₹10 crore now under financial scrutiny.

The operation took off when 37-year-old Faheem Farooq from Srinagar was intercepted by a police team in Delhi’s Lajpat Nagar based on specific intelligence. Farooq, whose father’s jewellery business had incurred losses, allegedly turned to drug peddling as a desperate means of income. From him, the police recovered nearly a kilogram of heroin and the aforementioned cash.

ACP Anil Sharma and his team, working under the guidance of DCP Apoorva Gupta, meticulously laid the trap and executed the arrest. Farooq’s questioning revealed deeper links within a larger network, which has since led to multiple follow-up arrests across states.